The Dunn Foundation
Collegeville, PA · EIN 65-0415977. Reported 313 grants totalling $44.6M to 116 recipients across tax years 2021-2025. This foundation told the IRS it does not accept unsolicited requests: it contributes only to organizations it selects itself.
Does this foundation accept applications?
No -- on its own tax return. Form 990-PF asks every private foundation to check a box if it "only makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds". The Dunn Foundation checked it on its most recent filing, as 78% of the 91,758 foundations in our data that made a grant and answered did. An unsolicited request is unlikely to go anywhere.
Organizations it funds that make grants of their own
3 of the organizations The Dunn Foundation funded make grants themselves, and it reported 6 grants totalling $395,000 to them. That is 1% of the $43.4M of its giving we could match to a registered organization. Each is classified by the IRS as a philanthropy or grantmaking organization, reported grants to at least 25 organizations of its own, and has at least 10 funders behind it.
All of them file Form 990, which never asks whether an organization funds only groups it picks, so there is no answer on record either way.
What that does not mean. It does not mean an application to any of them reaches this foundation's money. A private foundation's grant to a community foundation or a federated campaign is often a donor-advised fund or a gift designated for a purpose the foundation chose, and has nothing to do with any open programme the receiving organization runs. Its return's purpose text sometimes names a family fund or a designated purpose, which is the plainest case of money no applicant can reach; where it names none, neither return says which. The list is who this foundation paid that also makes grants. Whether any of them would fund you is a question for its own page.
| Grantmaker | Kind | State | Received | Grants | Years | Last | Only funds organizations it picks? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Donors Trust Inc | grantmaking organization | Virginia | $330,000 | 3 | 3 | 2024 | Its form does not ask |
| The Jack Miller Center for Teaching | grantmaking organization | Pennsylvania | $45,000 | 2 | 2 | 2025 | Its form does not ask |
| Givinga Foundation Inc | grantmaking organization | Massachusetts | $20,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 | Its form does not ask |
A floor, not a full list. A grantmaker appears here only where this foundation's return named it clearly enough for us to match the name to an EIN, which we manage for about two thirds of 990-PF grant rows, and only where that grantmaker has a page on this site. There may be more. Dollars here are summed by EIN across every spelling on its returns, so a figure can differ from the matching row in the full list below, which groups names as written. And the IRS classification cannot tell a grantmaker from a funders' association or a donor-advised fund sponsor, so a payment to one of these may be dues or an account rather than support for a grants programme.
How big are its grants?
The median grant is $50,000. Half of everything it gave fell between $25,000 and $125,000; the smallest was $5,000 and the largest $2,500,000.
Every organization it funded
This is the complete list from its filings, largest first. Recipients are grouped by name and state as they were written on the returns, so an organization entered under two different names appears twice. Years funded is the number of separate tax years in which that name received money.
| Organization | Location | Total received | Grants | Years funded | Last |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conservative Partnership Institute | Washington, DC | $7,250,000 | 4 | 4 | 2025 |
| Turning Point USA Inc | Phoenix, AZ | $5,406,000 | 8 | 5 | 2025 |
| Foundation for Government Accountability Inc | Naples, FL | $2,850,000 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression in | Philadelphia, PA | $2,280,000 | 3 | 3 | 2024 |
| Commonwealth Foundation for Public Policy Alternat | Harrisburg, PA | $1,600,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Prager University Foundation | Sherman Oaks, CA | $1,600,000 | 4 | 4 | 2025 |
| Alliance Defending Freedom | Scottsdale, AZ | $1,441,000 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Americans for Fair Treatment Inc | Oklahoma City, OK | $1,425,000 | 4 | 4 | 2025 |
| Fairness Center Inc | Harrisburg, PA | $1,425,000 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Atlas Economic Research Foundation - Atlas Network | Arlington, VA | $1,385,000 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Students for Liberty Incorporated | Mclean, VA | $1,075,000 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Citizens Defending Freedom | Mulberry, FL | $800,000 | 3 | 3 | 2025 |
| Freedomworks Foundation | Washington, DC | $795,000 | 3 | 3 | 2023 |
| Institute for Justice | Arlington, VA | $747,000 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Foundation for Economic Education Inc | Atlanta, GA | $671,456 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| America First Inc | Fort Worth, TX | $600,000 | 3 | 3 | 2023 |
| Commonwealth Foundation for Public Policy Alternatives | Harrisburg, PA | $550,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| The Reason Foundation | Los Angeles, CA | $525,000 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| State Policy Network | Arlington, VA | $500,000 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Pacific Legal Foundation | Sacramento, CA | $495,000 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Epoch Times Association Inc | New York, NY | $450,000 | 3 | 3 | 2025 |
| Moms for America | Branson, MO | $450,000 | 4 | 4 | 2025 |
| America First Legal Foundation | Washington, DC | $400,000 | 4 | 4 | 2025 |
| The James Madison Institute for Public Policy Stud | Tallahassee, FL | $400,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Competitive Enterprise Institute | Washington, DC | $375,000 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| America First Policy Institute | Fort Worth, TX | $350,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Cato Institute | Washington, DC | $350,000 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| National Taxpayers Union Foundation | Washington, DC | $335,000 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Donors Trust Inc | Alexandria, VA | $330,000 | 3 | 3 | 2024 |
| Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression Inc | Philadelphia, PA | $300,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Hillsdale College | Hillsdale, MI | $300,000 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Young Americans Against Socialism | Boerne, TX | $287,500 | 3 | 3 | 2023 |
| The Philanthropy Roundtable Inc | Washington, DC | $285,000 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| The Independent Institute | Oakland, CA | $251,250 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Federalist Society for Law & Public Policy Studies | Washington, DC | $250,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Evergreen Freedom Foundation | Olympia, WA | $240,000 | 4 | 4 | 2025 |
| National Foundation for Gun Rights Inc | Loveland, CO | $233,250 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Leadership Institute | Arlington, VA | $210,000 | 4 | 4 | 2025 |
| Young Americans for Liberty Foundation | Austin, TX | $206,456 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Blexit Foundation Inc | Nashville, TN | $200,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Blexit Foundation Inc | Washington, DC | $200,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| County Citizens Defending Freedom USA Foundation I | Mulberry, FL | $200,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Franklin News Foundation | Chicago, IL | $200,000 | 2 | 2 | 2025 |
| Kings Academy Inc | West Palm Bch, FL | $200,000 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| Lucy Burns Institute Inc | Middleton, WI | $200,000 | 4 | 4 | 2025 |
| Political Economy Research Center Inc - Property & | Bozeman, MT | $170,000 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| Mackinac Center | Midland, MI | $155,000 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| American Accountability Foundation | Washington, DC | $150,000 | 4 | 4 | 2025 |
| Heritage Foundation | Washington, DC | $150,000 | 3 | 3 | 2025 |
| American Moment Inc | Washington, DC | $135,000 | 4 | 4 | 2025 |
| Foundation for Individual Rights in Education Inc | Philadelphia, PA | $135,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Real Clear Foundation | Northbrook, IL | $129,750 | 4 | 4 | 2025 |
| Fdrlst Media Foundation | Washington, DC | $125,000 | 2 | 2 | 2025 |
| Liberty Justice Center | Chicago, IL | $120,000 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| Young Voices | Washington, DC | $120,000 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Illinois Policy Institute | Chicago, IL | $110,000 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Daily Caller News Foundation | Washington, DC | $100,000 | 4 | 4 | 2025 |
| David Horowitz Freedom Center | Sherman Oaks, CA | $100,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Do No Harm | Glen Allen, VA | $100,000 | 2 | 2 | 2025 |
| Property & Environment Research Ctr | Bozeman, MT | $100,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| The James Madison Institute for Public Policy Studies Inc | Tallahassee, FL | $100,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| The Nra Foundation Inc | Fairfax, VA | $100,000 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| American Movement Foundation | Herndon, VA | $95,000 | 3 | 3 | 2025 |
| Free to Choose Network | Erie, PA | $95,000 | 4 | 4 | 2025 |
| Personnel Policy Operations Inc | Washington, DC | $87,500 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Center for Renewing America Inc | Washington, DC | $80,000 | 2 | 2 | 2025 |
| Policy Circle Co | Wilmette, IL | $77,500 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| Citizens Alliance of America Foundation Inc | Fairfax, VA | $75,000 | 2 | 2 | 2025 |
| Heartland Institute | Arlington Heights, IL | $75,000 | 4 | 4 | 2025 |
| The Policy Circle Co | Dallas, TX | $75,000 | 3 | 3 | 2025 |
| Vmts Education Inc | Brooklyn, NY | $62,250 | 2 | 2 | 2025 |
| Libertas Institute | Lehi, UT | $60,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Moving Picture Institute | New York, NY | $60,000 | 4 | 4 | 2025 |
| Edchoice Inc | Indianapolis, IN | $50,000 | 2 | 2 | 2025 |
| Personnel Policy Organization | Washington, DC | $50,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Unleash Prosperity Inc | Potomac, MD | $50,000 | 2 | 2 | 2025 |
| Az Liberty Network | Gilbert, AZ | $46,250 | 2 | 2 | 2025 |
| Institute for Humane Studies | Baltimore, MD | $46,000 | 3 | 3 | 2023 |
| Center for Race and Opportunity | Henrico, VA | $45,000 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| Political Economy Research Center Inc - Property & Environment Researc | Bozeman, MT | $40,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| The Atlas Society Ltd | Lodi, CA | $40,000 | 2 | 2 | 2025 |
| Network of Enlightened Women Inc | Indianapolis, IN | $35,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Ethics and Public Policy Center Inc | Washington, DC | $31,250 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Accuracy in Media Inc | Washington, DC | $30,000 | 2 | 2 | 2025 |
| Emergent Order Foundation Inc | Austin, TX | $30,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Jack Miller Center for Teaching Americas Founding Principles and | Bala Cynwyd, PA | $30,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Americas Future | Billings, MT | $25,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Cristo Rey Philadelphia High School | Philadelphia, PA | $25,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| David Network | Vienna, VA | $25,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Network of Enlightened Women Inc | Washington, DC | $25,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Reformers Academy | Quincy, MA | $25,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Black Pastors United for Education | Harrisburg, PA | $20,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Florida Council on Economic Education Inc | Tampa, FL | $20,000 | 2 | 2 | 2025 |
| Givinga Foundation Inc | Boston, MA | $20,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Hall of Giants - the Entrepreneurs That Made America | Chicago, IL | $20,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Judicial Watch Inc | Washington, DC | $20,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Libertas Network | Lehi, UT | $20,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Young Americans Against Socialism | Los Angeles, CA | $20,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Childrens Health Defense | Franklin Lakes, NJ | $15,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Claremont Institute for the Study of Statesmanship & Political Philoso | Claremont, CA | $15,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Free the People Fight the Power Foundation | Washington, DC | $15,000 | 3 | 3 | 2025 |
| Jack Miller Center for Teaching Americas Founding | Bala Cynwyd, PA | $15,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Liberty Justice Center | Austin, TX | $15,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| The Atlas Society Ltd | Kingwood, TX | $15,000 | 2 | 2 | 2023 |
| Liberty Counsel Inc | Orlando, FL | $12,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| American Culture Foundation | Chicago, IL | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| American Independent Media | Chicago, IL | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| American Transparency | The Villages, FL | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Free Press | Florence, MA | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Future of Freedom Foundation Inc | Fairfax, VA | $10,000 | 2 | 2 | 2023 |
| Iron Light Labs | Chicago, IL | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Objectivist Center Ltd | Kingwood, TX | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Student Free Press Association | Hillsdale, MI | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| American Ideas Institute | Washington, DC | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Center for Race and Opportunity | Raleigh, NC | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| The Seminar Network Inc - Stand Together Trust | Baltimore, MD | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
75 of 116 (65%) received money in more than one year over the 5 years we hold.
Measured the way we measure every foundation -- what share of one year's grantees are funded again the next -- this one retains 80%, across 4 year-to-year transitions. The median foundation retains about 67%, so this one is unusually consistent. This measures how often it paid the same organizations again. It says nothing about whether it would consider a new one, and this foundation told the IRS it does not.
What the money was for
Taken verbatim from the purpose field of its filings. This is the closest thing to a statement of what this foundation cares about, in its own words.
- Alliance Defending Freedom
Corporate Freedom Program and general support - Institute for Justice
SCIENTIFIC research project - Evergreen Freedom Foundation
Miami Dade School District - Hillsdale College
Online Economic Classes, currently led by Art Laffer and K-12 civics curriculum - Cristo Rey Philadelphia High School
PROVISION OR DEVELOPMENT OF COURSEWORK OR IN SUPPORT OF EXISTING PROGRAMS OR COURSEWORK THAT TEACH THAT THIS NATION WAS FOUNDED BY PATRIOTS WHO FOUGHT TO OBTAIN, ESTABLISH, AND PRESERVE LIBERTIES SUCH AS FREEDOM OF RELIGION AND SPEECH, ECONOMIC LIBERTY, PROPERTY RIGHTS, AND THE IMPORTANCE OF MARKETS FREE OF COERCION FROM UNLIMITED GOVERNMENT, ALL AS REFLECTED IN THE U.S. CONSTITUTION.
What kind of organizations it funds
By the activity category the IRS assigns each recipient, for the 262 grants where we could match the recipient to a registered organization. The categories are the IRS's. The match, made from the name and address on the return, is ours.
Giving by year
| Tax year | Grants | Total | Median grant |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 46 | $6,361,000 | $100,000 |
| 2022 | 61 | $8,852,000 | $75,000 |
| 2023 | 64 | $10.1M | $50,000 |
| 2024 | 66 | $9,998,500 | $50,000 |
| 2025 | 76 | $9,262,912 | $47,500 |
Tax years, not calendar years, and the most recent year is usually incomplete -- filings arrive about a year late, so a low final year means late paperwork rather than a foundation winding down.
Where its money goes
26% of its giving went to organizations in District of Columbia.
Get funders for your state and cause by email
We email you funders that gave to organizations in your state and cause, up to five at a time each week and never the same one twice, from their own IRS filings. Free. The weekly email has not started yet.
Unsubscribe in one click from any email. We never sell or share your address. To match on your organization and typical grant size too, keep a private profile.
Funders that support the same organizations
These funders gave to organizations this one also funded -- some private foundations, some community foundations and other grantmaking charities. Shared grantees are a sign of overlapping priorities and nothing more. Unlike this foundation, none of them is on record as funding only organizations it picks, and each page says what its filings show.
Related guides
Where these numbers come from
Everything above is taken from The Dunn Foundation's own Form 990-PF filings, which the IRS publishes in bulk. We used 5 returns (tax years 2021-2025). Grant figures are from its returns. Matching recipients to registered organizations, their IRS classifications, the retention rate and the funders that support the same organizations are our own calculations, described in how we build this.
Address of record on the latest return: 52 W Third Ave, Collegeville, PA, 19426. This is the address the foundation gave the IRS.
EIN 65-0415977 · See the original filings on ProPublica · How we build this
Is something here wrong about your foundation? Email [email protected] and we will correct it.